Urgent Proposals for Kano. THREAD

The sudden increase in the spread of Covid-19 in Kano despite the lockdown is extremely worrying. We seem to be heading towards a major disaster.

I may be being alarmist, but it is better to be over-cautious here. Our lives and those of our most loved ones are on the line.

There are two important issues I think we are not properly addressing now:
1. The Lockdown
2. Sensitization of the public on what Covid-19 is

1. Lockdown: We know it is necessary, but I think it is not realistic as being done now. For it to be effective, people have to be at home and right now it simply is not happening. The issue of sensitisation will be discussed later.

Here, I want to discuss allowing people to go out at all. Social distancing is necessary but very hard to enforce in Kano if people are going to go out at all. Kano's markets are too dense.

The overcrowding of markets we saw on Wednesday and Thursday last week was a mistake and a recipe for disaster. Ramadan is coming in a few days and there are rumours people will be allowed out again. That must not be allowed to happen.

I think there are ways government can maintain the lockdown longer and to make it more practicable. Supermarkets like Wellcare and Sufi Mart are already doing home deliveries. Many people don’t seem to know this.

With more awareness, most supermarkets can supply groceries to the upper and middle class of Kano Metropolis.
These home deliveries cannot work for the poorer people of Kano, so different solutions are needed.

I stand to be corrected, but all or most houses in Kano metropolis have been numbered and the state government has a database of them.

Can the government simply supply the most basic items like kerosene, rice, salt and tomato paste to the poorer households? This is going to be a logistical nightmare, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

5 billion naira can get 20,000 naira worth of food to 250,000 households. Logistics will of course increase the cost. Perhaps 20,000 worth of food could last 2 weeks for an average household.

My exact figures here aren’t the point. The point is a large-scale logistic project like this seems much better than to allow millions of people to go out or to try to force them to starve to at home.

2. Sensitisation: Granted, there is a lot of sensitization going on. But simply put, it is not working. TOO MANY people in Kano either do not believe in the virus or don’t understand properly the nature of Covid-19.

The video of the Covid-19 patients in Kano released yesterday is very worrying. They feel because they do not feel sick, they are surely okay. I do not need to go into the crass ignorance this betrays.

Also, while major streets are closed, neighbourhoods are continuing life as usual. We need to improve two things:
-Public education on the virus
-TRUST in government

I must mention the widely believed allegations against the government of corruption, nepotism and the attempt to settle old scores in the midst of this crisis. These allegations are extremely damaging.

PDP, APC or any grudges don't matter at all here. Government is the only body capable of massive action and TRUST in government is vital for the success of any measures taken.

Kwankwaso spoke recently. He simply sensitised people and made public what he is doing to help the government. All opposition to the Kano state government should please take a dose of sense from that attitude.

We are in the midst of perhaps the battle of our lives here, and in battle there must not be second guessing of the Commander in Chief. The Kano state government under Governor Ganduje is our leader in this fight and must not be undermined, ko kadan.

I urge people to desist from rumour spreading and I urge the Governor and the government to please try to live up to his all-important role. The government’s utterances and actions in this trying period must not give life to these rumours.

The government is not perfect, but having religious leaders criticise the government’s response as currently is also damaging. Religious scholars, traditional rulers and important public critics should be brought more on board, their opinions heard and taken into account.

This is not a time for division. In public, all the major influential people in Kano must speak with one voice. Our lives depend on this.

I believe Masu Unguwanni are very much in position to report all mass gatherings. We need to take greater advantage of that.

Also, President Buhari’s voice in Hausa warning people of the gravity of the situation and the need to stick with the government will bring home to a lot of people the gravity of the situation.

Finally, a Rarara song on Covid-19 woule be MOST WELCOME.

My ideas may not be the best, but the point is right now, we seem to be headed towards disaster. We need to take urgent steps in a different direction.
Also, government needs to think and act more practically and show more innovation.